Category Archives: Opera

Question marks about the COC’s winter & spring season

Posted on September 20, 2021 by barczablog

I’ve seen some disgruntled responses in social media to the announcement of the Canadian Opera Company offerings for early 2022. The COC are offering nine performances of Madama Butterfly in February, then seven shows each of La Traviata & Magic … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Encounter with Donald Arthur

Posted on September 17, 2021 by barczablog

I met Donald Arthur through the Toronto Wagner Society, our guest after publication of the memoirs he translated & edited for Hans Hotter, the great Wagner baritone. I jumped at the chance to offer Donald a bed overnight in our … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Who was Derek Jarman

Posted on September 14, 2021 by barczablog

I don’t know Derek Jarman as well as I wish. But I’m presuming to offer some thoughts in answer to a question posed on Soundstreams’ blog a few days ago. I recall Jarman’s contribution to the anthology Aria (1987). The … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A conversation with Doug MacNaughton

Posted on August 16, 2021 by barczablog

Doug MacNaughton is known as much for his acting as for his singing, at home in opera, operetta, music theatre and concert work. As powerful as he sounds in ONE DAY MORE Doug also has the ability to use his … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Opera season

Posted on August 16, 2021 by barczablog

Rabbit season? Duck season? Nope in a few weeks it will be opera season, and not just in Toronto. Thank goodness we don’t have to hear Elmer Fudd try to say “opera season”. That’s right, they really will be shooting … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

COC Fall Season announcement

Posted on August 16, 2021 by barczablog

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY CONNECTS ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES THROUGH FREE, DIGITAL PROGRAMMING Purpose-produced fall lineup features monthly offerings recorded at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, including new production of Gianni Schicchi Toronto – The Canadian Opera Company is … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | 1 Comment

Opera coming out of the pandemic

Posted on July 20, 2021 by barczablog

We weren’t permitted to go to live theatre. Performers have struggled with the loss of income, companies evaluating their business models as they contemplate the future. It remains to be seen just what impacts will be felt upon opera, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Savitri

Posted on July 5, 2021 by barczablog

Gustav Holst’s one act chamber opera Savitri is available from Against the Grain theatre (aka “AtG”) as an online film. They offer it free of charge from their website, while inviting you to make an optional contribution to the company. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nixon in China, 2021

Posted on July 4, 2021 by barczablog

The Metropolitan Opera feed of free streaming performances celebrate American composers the week of July 4th Independence Day. I was especially excited to get another look at John Adams’s Nixon in China, that we saw both via a production by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Politics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Voicebox Adriana Lecouvreur

Posted on July 2, 2021 by barczablog

What is the point posting a review when the run is over? My motto is borrowed from the Hippocratic Oath, namely “above all do no harm,” if that tells you anything. Some of the voices sounded better than others, some … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment